


Both is Better

by DryDreams



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, McHanzo Week, McHanzo Week 2017, Short but real sweet, trust me - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-16 22:37:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11262444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DryDreams/pseuds/DryDreams
Summary: Mchanzo Week Day 4 Prompt: Red/BlueA character study of sorts. Jesse explains why he can't just pick a color.





	Both is Better

I have two favorite colors. 

What do you mean, I’m not allowed to have two? ‘Course I am.

You’re askin’ me to choose between the endless Santa Fe sky and the dust under my boots. How could you have one without the other? That’s real tricky.

On one hand, there’s the color of the dried chilies that were always hanging in my Mama’s kitchen. When you tasted her hot sauce you could feel that color on your tongue.  
The red currants that we would squash between our toes on the hot pavement before it got to be too much and we had to run back to the shady grass; the pads of our burned little feet would be stained with the juice for a week. 

It’s the color of the bandanna Reyes bought me because he felt bad for throwin’ away my first serape. The color of the new one I wore on my back years afterward. It conveniently didn’t show the bloodstains. Yeah, it’s the same one. 

It's how the hot wind feels on my back when I call on the Deadeye, the color that floods my vision for a split second before I pull the trigger. It used to terrify me, when I was young. But I’ve since made peace with the scarlet glow. 

It makes me think of where home used to be, all rust colored rocks and Indian paintbrushes. Do you know the legend of that flower? ‘Course you don’t, you’ve probably never even heard of them until now. My Ma would read me this book about it, where this kid named Lil’ Gopher tried so hard to paint the sunset but he just couldn’t do it. He tried his whole life to make the perfect colors out of rocks and flowers and berries, but it was impossible. Finally when he was on his deathbed the gods gave this guy his wish. They made paint brushes covered with the perfect colors grow up outta the ground so he could finally paint that sunset. Then they just kept growing. 

Hell. The sunset has to be the best thing of all. You would love the color red as much as I do if you could see a New Mexico sunset. Someday I’ll take you there, don’t let me forget.

 

On the other hand, there’s the real china my Abuela only brought out for special occasions.... There’s cornflower patterned dresses with whirly skirts. I always did love to watch people dance. It’s such a pure expression of joy, it’s like drinkin’ a cool glass of water. Sometimes when I was on the run I would search out some sort of traditional dancin’ club just so I could sit and watch the skirts all blur into one. That always left me feelin’ like I could go on another day.

It’s the color of the old strike team’s uniforms. Somethin’ in me will always be inspired when I see that shade. I’ll never forget how smart Lena looked in her crooked little cap when she got to run her first mission. N’ how when Angie found you in the rubble it was a haze of gold and sapphire and you knew that you were gonna be alright.

It makes me think of the first time I ever saw the ocean. I was eight years old and I somehow ended up on the shore of the Pacific. I remember that it was like glass that day, no wind or cloud in sight and I almost couldn’t tell where the sea ended and the sky took over. It was almost the same here the first day we met, do you remember? No? Well, I do. I remember everythin’ about that day. You strolled in looking like some sorta prince, all stiff upper lip and sharp icy edges. Ha, ‘course I wasn’t intimidated. You just took my breath away is all. I figured I might as well try to melt that frost. Well, it worked didn’t it?

It’s the color we couldn’t get out of your beard for days after we got carried away painting that room on Level 2 together. No, it was you who started it for sure-- I’m hurt you would even imply that I would do such a thing, darlin’. I have no blessed idea how that handprint got on your pants. 

It’s the color of those exquisite scales on your arm that almost look real sometimes, in the right light. The color your dragons glow when they feel like takin’ up space in the bed for no damn reason in the middle of the night… and when they’re flashing through the sky in the middle of battle, lookin’ like something out of a fairytale. Sometimes your eyes flash blue, did you know that? When you’re...

Hell. Now that I’m thinking about it, I might be able to choose after all. Now-- don’t get all smug with me, I didn’t say I was going to. Why would I want to do that? Both is better. Red ‘n blue, it’s us. 

What I wouldn't give to see those dragons dance in the dyin’ light of a New Mexico sunset.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello friends! I know this isn't a traditional format and it's so short (sorry) but I had the idea to do a poem of sorts and that didn't happen and it turned into this. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Thank you Jenna for being encouraging!<3
> 
> Also, if you follow me on twitter @Ukelelerapgirl I will be funny and nice, I promise. Enjoy

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[PODFIC] Both is Better](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14074584) by [sksNinja](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sksNinja/pseuds/sksNinja)




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